Her Brother Never Ever Cried
by hrhAcid
Summary: Switzerland goes to Hungary for advice and help concerning Liechtenstein... but out of all the female nations did he HAVE to go to the one who lived with Austria? Of course not. But seeing as the occasion rose...maybe something will finally become clear. SwissAus, AusHun and implied LiechHun ANGST everywhere.


**AN: Alright, it's a bit long but I really hope you will have the patience to read it. I'm quite proud of it you see :) Please enjoy~**

**Pairings: Established Austria/Hungary,Angsty Switzerland/Austria, Past Belgium/Hungary, Implied Liechtenstein/Hungary**

**Warnings: Angst! Lots of angst! Yaoi +Yuri +Hetero stuff but no explicit smut (sorry :/ ), alcohol abuse etcetc**

**Her Brother Never Ever Cried**

_Now I would do most anything_

_To get you back by my side,_

_But I just_

_Keep on laughing_

_Hiding the tears in my eyes_

_Cause boys don't cry_

"Erm, brother, it's been bothering me that sometimes when I lie on my tummy my chest starts throbbing badly, what should I do?" Liechtenstein said almost inaudibly during morning tea, she felt she was touching upon an uncomfortable subject by the way Switzerland began fidgeting. But her little problem began to be unbearable.

"I see. I promise to find you a cure." Vash said almost as quietly, picking up his teacup and getting up from the table, "In fact, I'll go out in a little while to get you something."

"Thank you, brother." She said and gave him a little peck on the cheek then headed outside to do the laundry. Once Lili was gone Vash began to contemplate which female nation he could ask to get his little sister a brassiere. He thought of Miss Hungary first, and then remembered that it meant he'd have to go to Austria's house. No, thank you. Then there were the Russian sisters, he figured Miss Belarus wouldn't be interested and if Miss Ukraine went though she was kind and helpful, he exhaled covering his eyes at the very thought, heck, little Lili may get destructive ideas about the size those things should be. Then there was Miss Belgium, he knew her quite well, they were great friends and he honestly couldn't come up with a reason not to ask her but in his gut he knew that it had to be Elizabeta.

"Fancy seeing you here, Vash." Austria articulated slowly, looking at the visitor with much surprise.

"Yes, yes. I'm not here to see you, Roderich. Where is Elizabeta, is she home?" Vash replied impatiently still standing uncomfortably outside the door.

"She is. Come in." Switzerland found himself looking at Roderich's hand, gracefully arched in a welcoming gesture, a second too long; Austria gently laid his hand on his back and nudged him in.

"Don't touch me!" he gasped instinctively.

"Don't get ratty, I'm sorry." He paused; it felt as if the temperature in the room dropped, "Elizabeta is in the south wing drawing room, I trust you remember where that is."

"Of course." And how could he forget? It was the room in which they listened to thunder all night and had one of the rare truces for their mutual discomfort at the lightening and heavy rain, but that was almost 30 years ago.

"I'll leave you to it. Perhaps I shall see you later?" Austria asked impassively, just for the hell of it, but in a refined manner as if daring Vash to be rude.

"Perhaps." The blond imitated and briskly walked away. Once he had disappeared in the hallway Austria also moved- to the other side of the house carrying his hurt and frustration with him.

No, no, no- that did not go well, after coming to the decision to go to Hungry, he had rehearsed his greeting of the Austrian. In his head he would be just as cultured as Roderich, very polished and tasteful and finally the one in control but no, his temper just had to get the best of him, literally unprovoked too, he admitted that much to himself. Of course the issue of Austria's little nudge still stood, Vash hated it when Roderich made any sort of social physical contact with him, he wanted none of it; no handshakes or nudges or even infuriating moments of receiving something like a pen or a teacup from his hands because he felt as if the Austrians violet eyes made all these commonplace touches into something of an emotional bond. Vash made sure to sever every single one but every single one tore at him in return. 

He knocked.

"Yes?" a female voice called from within.

"Miss Hungary, this is Switzerland," he said opening the door slightly. "I have to discuss something very personal with you."

The room was bathed in sunlight, its occupant sat at a desk with her feet on its mahogany surface between columns of books that she obviously had not touched.

"My my, is that Vash I see?" Elizabeta grinned beckoning him forward with a lazy gesture. He pulled up a chair.

"You see-"

"You should visit more often. I swear Roderich is going nuts. Whenever he sees chocolate he has this funny little twitch-"

"Elizabeta!" Vash cried pleadingly averting his eyes from her.

"Ooh, I'm sorry! It's a touchy subject, I shouldn't have." She said in a silly voice and pinched his cheek.

"I-it's alright." He sighed taking the humiliation with gloomy stubbornness.

"Oh goodie," Hungary laughed and let him go, "now then, what's that personal problem of yours?" she asked folding her arms on top of the back of her chair and laying her chin on them.

"Lili is uh, having um, chest pains," he was interrupted by Elizabeta's delighted gasp, "and er, I thought you might know what to do."

"Good God, this is great! I do wish I had someone to help me when I was her age! Instead I accidently let Prussia molest me…" she trailed off, "and so you're a very good brother for coming to me!"

"Um, well thanks-"

"Wait wait wait, did you ask where exactly it hurt? 'Cause you know it might not be what we think it is." She asked growing more amused at Vash's terrified expression.

"No, I did not." He muttered twiddling his thumbs.

"We're thinking the same thing though right?" she continued holding back a laugh.

"I suppose so." The Swiss said carefully.

"That her boobs are growing, yes?" she clarified loudly and grinned from ear to ear.

"Elizabeta, don't embarrass our guest with such crude words, please." Roderich said bringing in a upmarket tea set and set it on a table in front of the sofa.

"There's no way you can be in on the conversation!" Vash exclaimed jumping up from his seat. Hungary burst into laughter again. Austria's expression remained the same, calmly he sat himself down on the sofa and poured the steaming tea into three cups.

"Vash, this is my house, I can do as I please."

"But it's about my sister!" the blond protested almost wishing he could pull his gun on the aristocratic jerk.

"And? I'm not hearing anything new you know. I live with this … very outspoken lady." He gestured at Hungary. To demonstrate his point she kicked her legs down from the table and casually sat herself down on Roderich's lap. Vash felt as if it was him against the world. "In time you will see that the changes that happen to women are not half as terrifying as you deem them to be." The brunet concluded and sipped his tea smugly.

That bastard! That conceited, arrogant, holier-than-thou bastard! The way he looked at Vash when shamelessly drumming his fingers on the curve of Elizabeta's waist clearly said 'don't you wish you were her' (or 'don't you wish you were me' but for reasons unknown to Vash himself he saw the first.)

"So will you help her, Elizabeta?" Switzerland asked through a scowl.

"Of course!" she confirmed then got off Austria's lap. "Can I go now? Oh please! I have so many ideas."

"Wait! I didn't give you the money!" Vash called getting up after her. He stowed a large sum in his pocket, enough to buy his groceries for a month- but his darling little sister had to get the best so he went against his principles and issued an excessive amount for the cause.

She stopped uncertainly by the door and glanced at Austria, he smiled and said,

"Elizabeta, you and I can get little Liechtenstein a present, no?" he looked up at the blonds dumbstruck face, and continued as if talking to him, " get some money from the top left drawer in our room, darling."

"You're the best!" she squeaked and lunged at his neck leaning over the back of the sofa and wrapped her arms tightly around it. Only after Switzerland's irritated cough did she let go then beaming brightly rushed out of the door.

When the door slammed shut behind her a heavy silence fell, even outside the birds had stopped singing.

"Any civilised person would just thank me then I would invite him for tea and he would accept. Are you a civilised person, Vash?" Roderich asked dryly. Vash barely looked up and stopped scraping his heavy military boot against the wooden floor.

"Thank you, I suppose…" the Swiss said awkwardly.

"You're very welcome. " The brunet replied and turned his head towards Vash, "Would you mind joining me for tea?"

"It would be my pleasure, Roderich." Vash sniffled quietly and sat himself down on the opposite end of the sofa, Austria radiated triumph and amusement.

"Very good! See there is hope for you yet." Roderich smiled and held out a full cup. Of course he had to hold out that cup! Switzerland scowled scrutinizing the delicately decorated china with his eyes. Austria made an impatient clicking noise with his tongue.

"Mein Gott, Vash relax!" Roderich sighed and at that moment he looked immensely tired. As if in slow motion his fingers let go of the cup and the blond looked in horror as it dropped to the floor but the next thing he felt was himself pressed to the side arm of the sofa and Roderich's lips on his own. He gasped and roughly shoved the Austrian back.

"What the ever loving fuck do you want?!" he screamed.

"That's not very gracious." Roderich replied calmly sitting down on his knees.

"Neither is sitting with your feet on the sofa." Vash shot back scathingly and roughly wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

Not a muscle in Roderich's face moved, "It's my sofa, it's up to me how I wish to sit on it."

Switzerland was suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to get under Austria's skin, his marble statue façade was more infuriating than any other expression, phrase or gesture and he found them all unbearable.

"Bastard." He breathed and grabbed the collar of the Austrians violet overcoat, from behind his glasses Roderich looked up at him expectantly. Vash froze, just his fists clenched and unclenched around the fabric.

"Honestly…" the brunet exhaled and shrugged off his coat as Vash's fingers went limp around it, "you can't be this indecisive, Vash."

"W-what are you doing?" the Swiss asked shakily. Instead of an answer Austria laid him back against the armrest and kissed him forcefully, but the blonds lips trembled under his kiss and angry tears collected under his shut eyelids.

"Come on, that's not fair." Roderich muttered and began quickly undoing the buttons of Vash's military coat; they came apart roughly, stiffened by the tough fabric. Vash did not protest, he watched silently as the brunet worked at the buttons on his chest and just drew shuddering breaths. Roderich seemed to struggle with the last button around his upper thigh but Vash reached down and clipped it open, the Austrian looked up with some surprise,

"Thank you." He said.

"Don't mention it." It sounded like a threat.

Roderich pulled the heavy coat off and threw it at the nearest armchair, Vash was now lying in front of him in a black wife-beater nervously crossing his arms across his chest.

"When will you stop being so silly?" Roderich murmured climbing on top of him and pressing a kiss on his jaw.

"When I stop hating you this bad." Switzerland chided his arms gripping Austria's sides on their own accord.

"Do you honestly hate me all that much?" the Austrian asked sadly, stroking his thumb across the blond's cheek.

"Did I ever seem dramatic to you? Do you really think I'd exaggerate?" Vash snapped rolling his eyes to the side to look out of the window unseeingly.

Roderich kissed him again, his glasses slid down his nose from the angle of his face, he took them off and placed them on the coffee table with a gentle clank.

"I suppose that can't be helped then."

"Hah." The Swiss scoffed, his fingers pressed harder into Roderich's sides, he was mortified, what if the pompous freeloader stands up, puts his coat back on and walks out the door? Roderich would certainly never mention it again to the point where Vash would have to debate with himself whether the events took place at all.

"I will pray you change your mind, Vash." Roderich suddenly smiled. He leaned down and nipped at Switzerland's earlobe.

"Be my guest." Vash grumbled keeping the relief he felt from his voice.

Roderich let out a short laugh, then he sat up and leisurely began undoing his own buttons, his shirt slid down silkily and Vash trembled as his hands were now upon warm, naked flesh. They locked lips again, the Swiss was now accustomed to the taste and the pace and he finally wrapped his head around the idea that it was really Roderich kissing him- that the skin he caressed was Roderich's body usually hidden from view under clothes, and that it was too late to stop now.

"I need a drink." He choked when they pulled apart to take a breath, the Austrian helpfully offered him the now cold tea. "No, a real fucking drink, Roderich."

"Ah." The brunet stood up a little hesitantly and carefully stepped over the broken china on the floor and disappeared in the doorway.

Vash exhaled, he looked down at himself and noticed that his wife-beater was pulled up over his stomach where evidently the Austrians hands slipped in and his belt buckle was half undone. Roderich meant business. Switzerland hid his face in his hands, what did he do to deserve this? He wanted it but he knew he would not be able to live with himself after it unless the damned Edelstein was his. How much lower could his sense of self-worth sink?

Austria returned, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and two shot glasses in the other. He set them down on the table and with poise in his movements filled them. Vash found himself starring again.

"Is something wrong?" Roderich inquired taking a small sip from his glass.

Switzerland snapped out of it with a jerk, "Yeah, the way you're drinking whiskey." He rebuked and downed the glass in front of him in one sitting.

"Well, I'm sure you'd rather not have me retching violently so you will have to bear with me." Austria replied coldly swishing the amber liquid around in the glass.

"Sucks to be you." Vash shrugged and reached for the bottle, it was too far away and he just couldn't force himself to scoot anywhere nearer Roderich so he strained his arm and with the very tip of his fingers managed to tip it but lost control, he squeezed his eyes shut waiting for the sound of the crash but it never came.

"From your movements it's as if you're the one who can't hold his liquor very well." The Austrian chuckled and handed him the bottle.

"Ha. Ha." He cut off and grabbed it by the neck, "Since you're no good with this stuff I'm going to relieve you off it."

Roderich looked at him thoughtfully, "By all means, although I don't think you should."

Instead of an answer Vash put it to his lips and tilted his head far back chugging the liquid stubbornly, loud gulping noises filled the room and the brunet looked on with some concern.

"Satisfied?" he asked pulling the nearly empty bottle away but Vash had no intent on letting it go, "How do you even breathe when you keep going at the whole chugging business for so long?"

"I don't." said Vash and smacked his lips still wet with whiskey. A familiar burning engulfed his stomach and his sight began to swim as the alcohol slowly soaked up into his very being, his skin felt hot and tingly. But the Swiss knew that he asked for it.

Austria finally slipped the bottle out of his grasp and he swallowed the meagre remains of the liquid.

"You impressed me." He said, "I don't know many people who can drink this much in the afternoon."

"I train." Vash mumbled indistinctly and began wriggling out of his top.

"Excuse me?" Roderich asked apprehensively and caught the other man's arms as they swung towards a standing lamp on the corner of the sofa (that Vash's head miraculously missed when he was in a more horizontal position.)

"I drink several teacups of absinthe for breakfast daily." Came the reply from inside the Swiss' top that was still stretched over his head and arms, he looked like he was having some trouble taking it off completely, he struggled waving his arms around aimlessly.

"Why teacups?" asked Roderich mounting himself upon Vash's lap and pulling the heavily creased fabric off entirely.

"So Lili doesn't know." Vash blinked rapidly as everything around him gained sharpness in his eyes.

"That isn't a healthy habit," the Austrian warned running his fingers through Vash's blond hair, "and you never were too fond of alcohol anyway…"

"You wanna know when I started?" Vash asked his voice rising an octave challengingly.

Roderich's previously quite satisfied expression faltered and his concern was very genuine now, he gulped and nodded.

Vicious triumph blazed in the blonds eyes; he had been waiting for this. More passionately than any other thought it buzzed around his skull, for very many years, he wanted to look Roderich in the eye and see him understand.

"Well, actually, you do know." He said vaguely and his accusing gaze sent chills down Roderich's spine.

"You mean after-" the brunet started, his speech adorned with ample pauses as he tried to form a sentence.

"Shut up! I don't want to discuss it!" Vash burst out harshly. Roderich's hand dropped weakly to his side and he was unsure of what to do while the Swiss bore holes into him.

Then he laughed. Vash laughed, his arms bent against the back of the sofa and his head thrown back and the brunet perched on his lap with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"Now which one of us needs to relax, huh?" he snickered and snaked his right arm around the Austrians waist and tugged his body to himself. Vash's lips met Roderich's collarbone and roughly his canine tooth scraped over the pale skin.

"Ngh, Vash…" Austria gasped his arms making their way around Switzerland's neck.

Vash let out something resembling a giggle and traced his lips up to Roderich's shoulder then after marking it plentifully to his neck.

Roderich's breath hitched, Vash's bare chest felt hot against his and his lips so painfully demanding, finally unrestrained. The Austrian had always suspected the real meaning of Switzerland avoiding him as much as humanly possible, and why if through some misunderstanding he caught sight of him the generous lashing at was guaranteed, to be fair Roderich didn't suspect- he knew. And guilt ate at his insides for years.

Vash caught the brunets lips in a hard angry kiss, his tongue tore past Roderich's half open lips. Through the still silence of the spacious room faintly the erratic beating of two hearts sounded.

Roderich's arms wrapped tightly around the Swiss man's neck and then for the first time in very many years Vash actually felt needed. He chuckled bitterly withdrawing from the Austrian. Roderich pressed a kiss to his temple and whispered breathlessly,

"What is it now?"

"You're married."

"Vash let me explain-"

"You're fucking married, you asshole!" the blond sputtered pushing Roderich off once again, the brunet stumbled back against the coffee table sending the tea set flying with a deafening crash. Anxiously Vash began to fumble with his belt buckle trying to fasten it but his fingers just wouldn't follow orders, tears of frustration stung at his eyes, his ears burned. He threw his leg over the back of the sofa and jumped off it his boots landing with a heavy thud.

"Please, stay. Stay with me, Vash." the Austrian pleaded grabbing the discarded military coat and pulling it out of the other man's reach.

Vash threw an indifferent glance at the coat, turned on his heel and crossed the room briskly- fighting off the impulse to run.

"Don't leave again!"

"Get away from the broken china, you idiot." The blond croaked halting in front of the door. But it was too late, the shards dug into Roderich's bare feet and he gave a small cry of surprise and pain and fell back against the Swiss who rushed to his side. Vash assisted him into the nearest arm chair. Roderich winced as the blond picked out the remains of the tea cups from the tender sole of his foot; blood trickled down his foot and onto the blond's bare arm. Vash bit his lip, it seemed to him that he had never seen blood this scarlet but then he remembered that this blood had stained his childhood, so much blood… why was Roderich always bleeding? And why, why did he find _even_ the damn Austrians _blood _mesmerising? In a burst of anger he grabbed Roderich's shirt that lay on the floor by them and mercilessly ripped it and began to apply it as a bandage.

"Why did you do that?! You could have asked for bandages." Austria cringed as Switzerland tightened the make shift bind a little too roughly, "It was a good shirt."

"It's just a shirt. Get over it." He snapped, his hands falling awkwardly to his sides and he dared not to look up, now that Roderich was in no immediate danger his resolve of just a minute ago came back.

"Vash," Austria laid his hand on the Swiss man's shoulder, "I don't think I can walk, could you help me get to my bedroom?"

Vash scoffed loudly and rose to his feet; he looked down at Roderich with disdain.

"How nostalgic. But I'm leaving right after I do that."

"Do as you like…" the Austrian said quietly and wrapped his arms around Vash's neck as he lifted him up. Roderich was taller and slightly heavier than Vash but he was always able to carry him easily anyway.

Switzerland found the bedroom easily enough, Austria barely had to direct him. He kicked the door open ignoring its protesting screech. The bedroom was moderately large, two wardrobes on either side of the metal double bed and in the opposite corner there was a messy dressing table, Elizabeta's things seemed to be strewn about everywhere. Vash tried to drop Roderich on the bed but the Austrian did not unlatch his hands from around his neck and so he stumbled down next to him.

"I said I'd be going home after this!" Vash growled glaring daggers at Roderich as he felt the heat rise to his cheeks.

"You're too drunk to go home."

"Bullshit!" Vash yelled, it came out louder than he meant to and for a second fear flickered in his eyes.

"You drunk a bottle of whiskey not more than an hour ago, you're very drunk." Roderich said calmly, he pulled the Swiss man towards himself and his hands slid down to Vash's waist.

"I'm not drunk enough to stay here!" Switzerland argued but ceased his struggles, he was not a violent drunk but everything came in surges when he was properly hammered.

"Hush." Roderich whispered and kissed him vehemently, with a whimper Vash surrendered and allowed the Austrian to top him, Roderich's delicate hands undid the stiff metal belt buckle and gently slipped Vash's pants down his hips, a gasp left the blonds lips as Austria heaved his legs over his shoulder and pulled his pants off completely. The bed sheets rustled under them and the sound made Vash's heart beat so much faster and it throbbed agonisingly in his chest. It would be a lie to say that Vash did not imagine what Roderich's kisses would be like, there wasn't a day when he didn't wonder, but he never knew they'd have the overpowering taste of whiskey, as their tongues morphed into one the steady bitter alcohol numbed all senses. He wanted to but he couldn't react to Austria's soft touches and extreme light-headedness came over him. Switzerland entered the final stage of intoxication, sloppily breaking the kiss he pressed up against the Austrian and half fainted half fell asleep. Austria sighed deeply and draped his arm around the blonds shoulder, suppressing his painful disappointment. But as he stroked his thumb over the soft skin of Vash's shoulder he smiled to himself. This was nice too. 

"Roddy, Roddy," Elizabeta called quietly; when she approached the bed she lightly touched his shoulder. He jerked up and stared at her bleary-eyed. Switzerland also woke up and looked at Hungary in horror snatching up the blanket to cover himself.

"Roddy, for god's sake, why did you have to wake Vash up? He was so adorable snuggled up against you. I just came by to get some stuff, Lili invited me to sleepover at her house." She said airily and went to the wardrobe.

"That's nice. How was the shopping?" asked Roderich casually and sat up on the bed.

Elizabeta stuffed several things into a messenger bag then slung it over her shoulder. Switzerland couldn't understand why the hell she looked so unfazed by everything she saw, it was her right to shout and drag him out of the bed and throw him out the window and shoot at him, all those things she was perfectly capable of but all she did was flash him a grin and a wink.

"It was fun. I'm gonna go, I don't want to keep little Liech waiting, I told her to stay in the kitchen just in case and rightly so, you guys trashed the drawing room." She pecked Roderich on the cheek and went to the door.

Vash shook himself out of his shocked stupor,

"Elizabeta wait! I'm going home too." He cried stumbling out of bed.

She pouted,

"Don't! It's going to be a girl's night; we don't want you in the house. And why would you wanna leave here anyway?" she laughed and pushed him back on the bed.

"Goddamnit, it's my house and if I wanna come home I sure as hell will."

"That sounds familiar," She said thoughtfully rolling her eyes towards her husband, "but seriously, Vash you gotta stay and watch over Roddy before he gets a wee bit tipsy." And with that she left.

In silence they listened to her fading steps down the hallway.

"So you hit the bottle too, huh?" Vash asked studying Roderich's ashamed expression.

"I suppose I might have…"

"So what was the whole bullshit about you not drinking? Oh, nevermind… why would you do that anyway? You have Elizabeta don't you?!" Switzerland sighed, carefully controlling the amount of bitterness that spilled into his voice.

"And you have a sister you love very much, is that so very different? You're not alone."

Vash could feel anger boiling up in his chest, did he just dare compare the pure brotherly love the Swiss felt for his little Lili to nothing less than a marriage of the Austrian and Elizabeta? He glared at Austria, the room was dim by now as the sunset faded (the drunken slumber had lasted quite a few hours) but they could still see each other well enough.

"Just listen to yourself; you make it sound as if you love Elizabeta as a sister!" Switzerland chided.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. But I also love you Vash, I really do. Always have. I owe you so much more than I can repay you," Roderich took a bottle from under his bed and took a generous swig, "and I can't stand it when you say that you hate me… because I really don't want you to…"

The blond sat still, he couldn't take in the air, he was choking, he shrank away from the Austrian.

"Also? How can you say that?!" he sputtered, "How can you think you love me when you love her? You can't love us both!"

"But I can. I do." Roderich said calmly, reaching for Vash's hand. The Swiss man yanked it away.

"No, no, no that's wrong!" Vash pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them tightly, "that's so wrong, Roderich," he hid his face in his knees and started rocking back and forth a little, "you can't do that to Elizabeta."

"Have you honestly not noticed that she doesn't mind? She used see Belgium as well as me, just so you know, it's just me and her right now but does it really matter? Vash, I've loved you for so long…"

"Then why didn't you marry me?! We could've been married you know, easily, instead you just made me hate you for all these years, decades or was it centuries, I don't even know anymore!" Vash mumbled, his voice unusually high and threatening to break any moment.

"I- I just didn't think of that, I was trying to become stronger and it was the most important thing." Roderich said and leaned closer to the Swiss, lingering but not daring to touch him.

"Stronger? You? Trying? That is a blatant lie. Look," Switzerland lifted his head and roughly swiped his long bangs out of his eyes, dark wet trails stood out against the fair colour of his cheeks, " I protected you, I did nothing but fucking protect you, every battle we went to I did everything I could," he looked searchingly at Austria's face," and you? You did nothing to help yourself! Now, I wouldn't mind protecting you forever, in fact I would have, but then Elizabeta came along and she was keen on defending our special pretty little princess too lest she gets her chemise dirty."

"I'm going to ignore your insults. So you got jealous of Elizabeta, is that what you're saying?" Roderich asked lowering his gaze, not being with Vash might have broken him but it completely shattered Vash.

"I don't know. The fact of the matter was- Elizabeta and I were doing the same job and you made no distinction between us! Now if it's fine with Elizabeta, good for you but I'm not going to settle for playing second. She is my replacement for good." Switzerland replied irritably, staring down at the Austrian, knowing he had the upper hand again. He was getting mad at Austria's nonsense.

"I'm not saying you'll be second! What we will have will merely be different than what me and Elizabeta have, not as in one of you is more important to me, it will just be different. She never replaced you, if you didn't walk away and just let me explain…" Austria said smoothly and laid his head onto Switzerland's shoulder, this time the blond did not jerk away, instead he just reached for the bottle on Roderich's bedside table and significantly reduced its contents.

"Okay, maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's my fault that I took you for granted and let you go and maybe I should have told you how I felt before and all that bullshit. Still, Roderich, your ego must really be massive if you think I'll go for this. I don't want that. I might love you but I don't work like that." He said quietly and pressed a kiss to Roderich's brow.

"I understand. I'm sorry. But please think over it again,sometime." Austria pulled back and anxiously watched Switzerland collect his clothing and get off the bed. As soon as his toes touched the cool floor it all hit Vash with cutting clarity, his heart that was before now just barely holding up against the dull pain smashed to smithereens, he swayed to the side.

"I may be too drunk to go home, so I'm crashing on the sofa, no objections?" the precise, almost military sounding words bounced off the walls.

"You could sleep here…"

"Fuck off Roderich, what kind of question is that?" Vash snapped, his whole demeanour icy. Roderich sighed, so it happened, the Swiss was building walls that no one will ever penetrate ever again, for the first time in a very long time he wanted to cry. Vash slipped his feet into his boots and cut across the room in large strides. The door slammed shut behind the blond, and the heavy footsteps of his military boots distanced themselves fast and they obviously passed past the drawing room then disappeared at all. Roderich fell back on his pillows and bit into his hand to stifle a sob, just a few minutes ago he was so close, if he only knew what to say.

Vash stormed into the Austrians kitchen, the room as far as possible from his bedroom. He collapsed onto a chair letting his tears fall freely, rubbing his eyes with the coarse jacket sleeve he sobbed, suffocating on his cries he dropped his head on the table, his hair stuck to his face in moist strands. He was exhausted, his brain still had not cleared but at the very least his tears dried. Vash snatched a piece of paper from the kitchen counter and pulled a pencil from on top of the fridge.

_Thank you,Elizabeta. __Vash_

He scribbled, then took a small ornament pistol from his pocket. He contemplated pulling the trigger but thought of how embarrassing it would be for his body, showing weakness at a time like this, in a place like this. He fingered the ejection port and examined the whole gun carefully then laid it on the counter by the note. In the dark he found his way outside and wandered off into the breezy cool night.

_Epilogue:_

_" Yo, Lili, can I sleep with you?" Elizabeta asked crawling up to the smaller girl. Liechtenstein rubbed her eyes and nodded, she scooted to give the brunette more room, she felt Elizabeta's warm legs slide against hers and the light flowery scent of Elizabeta's hair washed over her. Lili smiled._

_" Did you have fun today?" the Hungarian asked twirling Liechtensteins hair around her index finger._

_"Yeah! I mean, I guess I must've been a little um, awkward at first, but now I'm completely comfortable around you, 'Lizabeta." Liechtenstein replied shyly, " but it must've not been very fun for you, I mean that um, um you must think I'm little and annoying."_

_Elizabeta chuckled and her hand slipped under Liechtensteins cheek, "Lili, you're little but in no way annoying,you're very sweet, I had lots of fun today."_

_"I'm glad, say, 'Lizabeta?" _

_"Hm?"_

_"In a few years, when I'm older, can I be your best friend?" Lili blushed brightly and lowered her eyes from Hungary._

_"Lili... I'm sure we'll be the very best of friends, goodnight." Elizabeta pressed her lips to Lili's forehead and smiled down at her._

_"Goodnight." _

_"Brother, you're back early! Did you sleep here the whole night?"_

_When Hungary and Liechtenstein went down to the terrace for breakfast they found Switzerland sleeping on the terrace swing. Lili rushed to his side and it took her at least 10 minutes to shake him awake._

_"Lili, what'd you want?" he muttered putting on the harshest glare he dared use for his sister._

_"You don't look so well! Can I get you anything?" she gasped brushing his tousled hair away from his face, she could swear she saw tearstains, but that was such a ludicrous notion, her brother never ever cried, that was impossible, real men like him don't cry._

_"Nah, leave me alone." Vash grunted and stood up, he halted noticing Hungary for the first time._

_"Hello." she said timidly. Switzerland looked down as the events of last night came flooding back to his mind. He pushed past them and stomped away into the house. _

_Lili looked at Hungary questioningly._

_"I'll tell you what, you and Vash should come over for dinner at my and Roderich's place on Saturday, deal?" _

_Liechtenstein nodded, Elizabeta said it so wistfully that Lili wanted to at least pretend she understood why that was so necessary._

_"Yes, I think brother would like that."_

_"I'm sure he will."_

**_THE END_**

**_AN: Please review and tell me what y'all think- I want to improve and all that :) Also please tell me if I've got the characterisation right... I'm nervous :S_**

**_(lyrics in the beginning are by the Cure btw, Boys dont Cry is the best song ever :') )_**

**_Hope you liked it,_**

**_Acid _**


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